Share Your Story Contest: Tim Winner of Week 19!

Congratulations to Tim! Tim and his family had a wonderful trip travelling down the Canal du Nivernais in Burgundy.

When we told our friends that we were taking a boat trip in France, they were jealous, at least at first. “I love cruises!” one exclaimed, “The food is wonderful.”

Then we explained that this wasn’t an ordinary cruise; we were renting a barge to travel down a canal through Burgundy. I would be the captain, my wife would be first mate and the three kids would be the crew. The enthusiasm vanished.

We were a little concerned, too. We aren’t a boating family. We had never piloted a boat down a river before. Seven nights seemed like a long time on a barge.

The journey ended up being a wonderful adventure. Our boat, the “Tanlay” was spacious, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. There was a small kitchen, a living room and a deck outside.

Each day we would enjoy fresh baguettes and coffee for breakfast, purchased at a nearby boulangerie, cast off the lines and head to the next town. We traveled the Canal du Nivernais, which flows through Burgundy, connecting the Seine and the Loire Rivers. Several times a day we would pass through locks. This required our children to man the lines, holding the boat in place as the lock raised the boat to the next level. Steering was fun.

In the evenings we would often ride our bikes along the canal or over the rolling hills. One morning we rode to Irancy, a town known for its wonderful wines.

Our favorite town was Auxerre. We moored near the city center, so we could explore the ancient streets and visit the three spectacular old cathedrals.

By the end of our trip we didn’t want to leave. Seven nights wasn’t enough.